swimming

Triathlon Training Part II

I got my lazy behind to the gym, with the realization that I had completely ruled out learning how to do the crawl before August 4^th. I will be doing this tri with the breast stroke. I’m not out to win it, just finish, so my stroke really doesn’t matter. Multiple friends provided tips on how to do the breast stroke more effectively. For example, apparently your body should be as vertical as possible. It should not go through the water, like mine, at an angle that creates drag.

I shoved ear plugs in my ears because I hate getting water in my ears—that neurosis stems from multiple ear infections as a kid.

Within a half a lap I came to the realization that I had never, in my entire life, attempted to swim hard. I had only ever gone swimming recreationally. Even if I raced anyone it was to the other side of an above ground pool—less than half a lap […]

Triathlon Training: Part I

So earlier this year I signed up to do a small triathlon (swim a half mile, bike about 12 miles, run a 5k). A triathlon isn’t exactly on my bucket list. I more just want to be able to say I’ve done one. And I thought it would keep me honest. Having something to train for would force me to train after a reasonably lazy winter.

Except it didn’t work out that way. The triathlon is Aug 4^th and around July 4^th I realized that I probably needed to start training. I’d been running because I run anyway. But I hadn’t gone biking once. And while I try to get in the pool each week, I didn’t even know how far a half a mile was.

So I got on the horn. I called the gym and I asked them how many laps equals a half a mile. Twenty-two laps (there and back) is the answer. I […]